Class 3 11.6 miles 3900 gain 5-7 hrs Out + Back Apr 23, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Bridge Mountain GPX Track

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This is the standard route most people use for accessing Bridge Mountain in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This classic peak can be seen from below on the east along the scenic drive poking into the skyline as a lightly colored sandstone dome. However, accessing the summit is most easily done from the west off Rocky Gap Road. The issue with using this standard route to Bridge Mountain is the bad approach road. If coming from Rocky Gap Road from Mountain Springs (south) you can skip the scenic drive, but will need rock-crawling vehicle or expect to walk an extra 3 miles or so along the road. The better option is to come from the scenic drive where a somewhat rugged vehicle could get to the trailhead, but even Crossovers might only make it about a half mile from pavement. The trailhead coordinates I have listed above uses this option, but assumes you only have 2WD and had to walk the entire Rocky Gap Road to the start of the trail. Reaching the start of the trail by car would cut off about 5 miles and 800 vertical gain of hiking. Some maps may mark a spot farther south along Rocky Gap Road as the "Bridge Mountain Trailhead" here (36.13104, -115.53318), but this trailhead makes more sense only if you're coming from the south via the much worse side of Rocky Gap Road. Both options ultimately lead to the west ridge of Bridge Mountain, though.

After hiking along Rocky Gap Road from the Petroglyph Wall Trailhead, we headed off the road on the left at a point around the 5400' contour where a cairn marks a well-traveled trail, the unofficial North Peak Trailhead. This trail leads steeply for about 1500' to gain the crest of the Keystone Thrust (the point on the ridge where the limestone visibly shifts to sandstone). The last few hundred feet ascends over Class 2 sandstone slabs/talus with cairns marking the way. Once at the crest we headed south, more or less following the Keystone Thrust line on a social trail well-marked with cairns. The route wraps above the heads of Ice Box Canyon and then Ice Cube Canyon before ascending a tiny bit to gain the west ridge of Bridge Mountain.

Once on Bridge Mountain's west ridge, we had to descend roughly 500 feet in order to reach the saddle on the west side of the peak. To get to the saddle, the route traverses the beautiful and lumpy sandstone landscape that forms a bit of a Class 2/3 maze. Cairns mark the way, but even if you can't locate them at some points there are multiple options to get down to the saddle. The "standard" route seems to keep mostly to the right (south) side of the ridge, using a series of gullies/cracks to avoid cliffs on the north side.

Even though I've hiked Bridge Mountain a few times, the view of its impressive dome-like face never stops amazing me. A route to gain the summit appears impossible from below, but of course that's not the case. From the saddle, a protrusion on the left introduces a nice crack that keeps exposure minimal and the Class 3 scrambling fun for a hundred feet or so. A cairn marks a significant ledge on the left, marking the best spot to leave the crack. Just after starting on this ledge, another crack (this one much shorter) pops in on the right and took us to the base of the arch for which Bridge Mountain is known.

There may be other ways to gain higher ground from the arch, but we chose to hike through the arch and ascend a Class 3 ramp from within the grotto where the arch is housed. Above this ramp, keeping left leads to a nice viewpoint of a large tank, while right heads toward the summit of Bridge Mountain. Just in front of the peak is a cool feature known as the "hidden forest", a pretty group of coniferous trees snuggled together in a large tank. A cool-looking rock rib on the right of the "forest" is the route to gain the summit. The view along this rib down into the canyons below is immense.

Just past the rock rib, a Class 2 section of ascending on a sandstone slope leads to a steep Class 2 ramp that lasts about a hundred feet, making an ascending traverse to the left up the summit dome. A single Class 3 move took us from the ramp up to flatter ground above, where we could see the summit block just ahead. Reaching the summit from here was Class 2. We enjoyed the views for a bit before taking the same route back.

If you're looking for a more exciting and longer outing, check out my trip report for Bridge Mountain via Pine Creek Canyon, a route that comes up from the east side.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Bridge Mountain
6988 ft
689 rise

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View back along Rocky Gap Road.
View back along Rocky Gap Road.
Ascending along Rocky Gap Road.
Ascending along Rocky Gap Road.
The social trail turn-off to gain the ridge seen above, right of center.
The social trail turn-off to gain the ridge seen above, right of center.
View back toward Rocky Gap Road as we ascend the excellent social trail.
View back toward Rocky Gap Road as we ascend the excellent social trail.
Close-up back down as we gain elevation.
Close-up back down as we gain elevation.
At the ridge, looking back toward the Spring Mountains.
At the ridge, looking back toward the Spring Mountains.
At the ridge, view south. Bridge Mountain seen left, the route to reach it is on the right, generally following the Keystone Thrust (where sandstone meets limestone).
At the ridge, view south. Bridge Mountain seen left, the route to reach it is on the right, generally following the Keystone Thrust (where sandstone meets limestone).
View back along the cairned social trail. Ice Box Canyon seen on the right.
View back along the cairned social trail. Ice Box Canyon seen on the right.
Passing over Ice Cube Canyon and ascending the colorful rock on the right, generally making our way to the spot in the center of this photo (the west ridge of Bridge Mountain).
Passing over Ice Cube Canyon and ascending the colorful rock on the right, generally making our way to the spot in the center of this photo (the west ridge of Bridge Mountain).
Descending along the west ridge of Bridge Mountain, which is now in view ahead.
Descending along the west ridge of Bridge Mountain, which is now in view ahead.
Cairns mark the way around the maze of sandstone, but there are many options as you approach the base of the peak.
Cairns mark the way around the maze of sandstone, but there are many options as you approach the base of the peak.
View back along the lump sandstone landscape that comprises the west ridge of Bridge Mountain. We came here via the Keystone Thrust, visible center where the sandstone meets the limestone/trees.
View back along the lump sandstone landscape that comprises the west ridge of Bridge Mountain. We came here via the Keystone Thrust, visible center where the sandstone meets the limestone/trees.
A little sneak gully on the right of the ridge, Class 2/3. A Class 3 option exists if you keep to the crest of the ridge.
A little sneak gully on the right of the ridge, Class 2/3. A Class 3 option exists if you keep to the crest of the ridge.
A nice Class 2/3 ramp system leading down.
A nice Class 2/3 ramp system leading down.
A Class 2/3 crack on the right (south) side of the ridge.
A Class 2/3 crack on the right (south) side of the ridge.
View back up at the crack system.
View back up at the crack system.
Making our way to the saddle of Bridge Mountain's west side.
Making our way to the saddle of Bridge Mountain's west side.
View back at the Class 2/3 descent to the saddle.
View back at the Class 2/3 descent to the saddle.
At the base of Bridge Mountain. The route leads up on the left in this photo.
At the base of Bridge Mountain. The route leads up on the left in this photo.
View back at the west ridge we just descended from, now heading up Bridge Mountain.
View back at the west ridge we just descended from, now heading up Bridge Mountain.
Reaching the first set of Class 3 moves, a nice crack.
Reaching the first set of Class 3 moves, a nice crack.
Close-up as we start up the crack.
Close-up as we start up the crack.
View down at the start of the Class 3 section.
View down at the start of the Class 3 section.
Higher up along the crack. It might be easier for some to keep to the rock rib on the right in this photo rather than staying within the crack.
Higher up along the crack. It might be easier for some to keep to the rock rib on the right in this photo rather than staying within the crack.
Another shot down the crack, higher up. You can see the ridge we just came from on the top left in this photo.
Another shot down the crack, higher up. You can see the ridge we just came from on the top left in this photo.
The crack continues, but this cairn marks a ledge that points the way.
The crack continues, but this cairn marks a ledge that points the way.
Just after starting along the ledge, this second Class 3 crack appears. You can see Austin above.
Just after starting along the ledge, this second Class 3 crack appears. You can see Austin above.
Just past the crack, the arch for which Bridge Mountain is named come into view.
Just past the crack, the arch for which Bridge Mountain is named come into view.
View back through the arch.
View back through the arch.
We headed through the arch and ascended this Class 3 ramp, probably the crux of the hike. There may be other options for avoiding this if you don't go through the arch.
We headed through the arch and ascended this Class 3 ramp, probably the crux of the hike. There may be other options for avoiding this if you don't go through the arch.
Above the arch, a cool tank that was holding some water.
Above the arch, a cool tank that was holding some water.
Just above the arch, a view of the Bridge Mountain summit. We headed toward the rib in the center of this photo. On the left is the "hidden forest", a cool feature where coniferous trees are somehow growing in a large tank void of water.
Just above the arch, a view of the Bridge Mountain summit. We headed toward the rib in the center of this photo. On the left is the "hidden forest", a cool feature where coniferous trees are somehow growing in a large tank void of water.
Approaching the rib used to access Bridge Mountain.
Approaching the rib used to access Bridge Mountain.
Along the rib, very cool.
Along the rib, very cool.
View back toward the rib.
View back toward the rib.
Hidden forest seen below as we ascend on its opposite side.
Hidden forest seen below as we ascend on its opposite side.
A nice Class 2 slab ramp feature.
A nice Class 2 slab ramp feature.
View back into the hidden forest and the slab feature.
View back into the hidden forest and the slab feature.
A final Class 3 move past the ramp.
A final Class 3 move past the ramp.
Past the Class 3 move, the summit block comes into view.
Past the Class 3 move, the summit block comes into view.
Bridge Mountain summit, view east toward Las Vegas and Calico Hills.
Bridge Mountain summit, view east toward Las Vegas and Calico Hills.
Bridge Mountain summit, view west toward the way we came.
Bridge Mountain summit, view west toward the way we came.
Bridge Mountain summit, view south toward Mount Wilson and Rainbow Mountain.
Bridge Mountain summit, view south toward Mount Wilson and Rainbow Mountain.
Bridge Mountain summit, view north toward the La Madre Mountains and the lesser peaks of Red Rock.
Bridge Mountain summit, view north toward the La Madre Mountains and the lesser peaks of Red Rock.
A shot from 2015 of Bridge Mountain that I just wanted to include.
A shot from 2015 of Bridge Mountain that I just wanted to include.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!